Letter-box bell



(No Model.)

M. W. AToR.

LETTER BOX BELL. No. 354,032. Patented Dee. 7, 1886.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

llIARGA/RET W. ATOB, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

LETTER-BOX BELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,032, dated December 7, 1886.

Application filed Apr1ll4,1886. Serial No. 198,812. (Xo model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARGARET NV. ATOR, of Bloomington, in the county of McLean, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Receptacles for Buildings or Private Houses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters ot'reference marked thereon, making a part of this specitcation.

My invention relates to mailreceptacles; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby mail may be delivered and notice ot' the same given to the occupants of the house by a gong or other suitable alarm device automatically operated by the slide that covers the opening through which the mail is passed, and also to provide a box in which These objects l attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of my invention, with a part of a guide-bar broken away to show one of the springs i'or operating the slide that covers the mouth ot' the opening through which the mail is passed, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line x x of Fig. 1.

The slide in both of these views is shown drawn down, which is its position when it is desired to deliver mail, te. The slide is shown down, so as to illustrate the mouth of the conducting passage, which would not be seen if the parts were in their normal position.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

A represents the door or other suitable support, to which Ais attached by screws A or other suitable fastenings a plate, B, bearing upon its face vertical guidebars C. These guide-bars may have formed upon their inner faces a groove extending from top to bottom, or may be constructed with grooves C, as shown in the drawings. The grooves shown extend only part way up the guide-bars.

The plate B is provided with openings D and E. Through the opening D the mail is conveyed into a box or other suitable receptacle. Through the opening E projects one end of the hammer of the bell or alarm K. Both openings D and E are continued through the door. The doorplatc F, upon which may be placed the name of the occupant of the building, is held in position by the guidebars C. The ends ofthe cover enter the openings or grooves C', and have the lower ends ot' the springs H secured to them, the said springs having their upper ends secured to the inner side of said grooves at higher points.

At the lower end of the device is a cover, G, for the opening D. This cover is held normally over said opening by spiral springs H, located in the vertical guides G. A ring, I, or othersuitable projection is placed upon the face of the cover G, by means oi' which the cover may loe easily and quickly moved from over the mouth or opening D.

At the upper end ofthe plate B and guidebars C is formed a trough or box, J, in which is placed the mail that is desired to be col` lectcd.

On the inner face of the door is secured a bell or alarm, K. The hammer L ot' the bell is pivoted at N to the inner face of the door near the end ofthe passage E, so that one end extends through said passage and projects beyond the face of plate B. The hammer is held away from the gong by a spring, M.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connection with the above description, and is as follows: Then it is desired to deliver a letter or package, the sliding cover G is moved downward from over the opening D and the letter pushed through said opening. Vhen the cover G is pulled downward, the spring M exerts its force and moves the hammer L until the end Pof said hammer is brought against the lower side ot' the opening E. W`hen the cover G is liberated, the springs H cause it to 'have a forcible upward movement. Before the cover assumes its normal position it comes in contact with the projecting end P of the hammer. This causes a sharp stroke upon the bell, thereby giving notice to the occupants of the house that mail has been delivered.

IOO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a mail-receptacle, the combination, with theV plate B, having openings D E, said openings being continued through the body to which the plate is secured, the grooved guidebars secured to the face of said plate, and spring-actuated cover, in combination Wtha bell secured on the inside ofthe door or body to which the plate is secured, one end of the hammer oi' said bell extending through'the openingE, whereby When the cover is liberated after being drawn dow nWard an alarm is sounded, substantially as specilied.

2. The combination of the door A, the plate B, the openings D and E, passing through both door and plate, the bell secured to the inner side ofthe door, the spring-controlled hammer v L, pivoted to the inner side of the door with its handle extending outside of the opening E, andthe spring-controlled cover on the outside of the door, which in using strikes said handle and rings the bell, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the door A, plate B, openings D E, extending through both plate and door', the bell K, hammer L, pivotedat N, and having its arm P extending through the opening E. springs M, the guidebars C, having 'the openings or grooves C', cover G, provided With the handle Land springs H, all constructed and arranged substantially as specified, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that .I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of March, 1886.

MARGARET W. ATOR.

Witnesses; Y y

JosEPH A'roR, B. J. CANNELL. 

